RKG Among Fastest-Growing Companies in America

Ranks #1520 on Inc. 5000 with Three-Year Growth of 252%

Charlottesville, VA, August 28, 2014 – Search and digital agency, RKG, now a Merkle company, has once again been recognized on the annual Inc. 500|5000 list as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies. 2014 marks the fourth time RKG has been recognized since 2008, when it debuted at #215.

Compiled annually, the Inc. 5000 list ranks private companies according to their revenue growth over the past three years. With an impressive 252% increase in revenue from 2010 to 2013, RKG placed #1520 on the overall list – making the top 30% of Inc. 5000 companies. RKG was also ranked #161 in the Advertising & Marketing industry – which saw the second-highest cumulative growth rate of any of the 25 industries featured.

“We’re pleased to be ranked on the Inc. 5000 list for the fourth time,” says George Gallate, CEO, RKG. “To show consistent growth over the years is a powerful testament to the quality of our talent and service offering. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and continue to focus on helping our clients win in the digital marketplace.”

In July, RKG was acquired by Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), a leading customer relationship management firm. Merkle’s integration of RKG results in expanded media capabilities for both teams. Merkle is the largest privately-held customer relationship marketing agency. Merkle is also home to the largest independent search agency.

RKG was named by AdAge as one of the fastest-growing search agencies in 2014, and was named the search agency with the highest number of Internet Retailer Top 500 clients for the second consecutive year. In 2013, RKG was ranked a top job creator by the Inc. Hire Power awards, making the list at #11 in the Marketing & Advertising sector, and #8 in the state of Virginia – for generating a 56% increase in jobs between January 1st, 2012 and June 30th 2013.

Founded in 2003, RKG is a search and digital marketing agency that combines superior marketing talent with world-class digital media capabilities to create the industry’s most effective data-driven digital marketing solutions. RKG drives business to clients by maximizing a full range of opportunities including paid search, SEO, product listing ads, social media, display advertising, and comparison shopping engine management services. In 2014, RKG became a part of Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), the largest privately-held customer relationship marketing agency. RKG is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA with offices in Bend, OR and Boston, MA. For more information, visit www.rimmkaufman.com or follow the company on Twitter @rimmkaufman.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 500|5000

Methodology

The 2014 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2010 to 2013. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2010. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent--not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies--as of December 31, 2013. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2010 is $100,000; the minimum for 2013 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/5000.

About Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 6,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com/.

The Inc. 500|5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.

About Merkle

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The agency’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 5,200 employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 24 additional offices in the US and 21 offices in Europe and APAC. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-Merkle or visit www.merkleinc.com.